Seven years ago, Robert Brunswick and his wife, Kitty, co-founded Hoag Innovators, a group of donors focused on learning and collaborative decision-making. The group hosts a “Shark Tank”-meets-TED-Talk presentation twice a year in which physicians pitch projects and request funding, and donors vote in real time. Today there are more than 200 members who have contributed over $40 million for advances that include pioneering clinical trials, AI-driven cancer detection and a blood test to detect multiple sclerosis in its earliest stages. Brunswick shares his passion for the group.
What makes Hoag Innovators unique?
We wanted to build a community of like-minded learners, donors and supporters of innovation. People get psychic income with their donor gift. It gives them a voice at the table to pick an innovation that can be game-changing.